Damascus: Archaeologists have unearthed in a desert in Syria what could be the oldest camel jawbone ever found.

The jawbone is a million years old, said Heba Al Sakhel, an archaeologist.

Al Sakhel said the jawbone was uncovered last month near the village of Khowm in the Palmyra region, northeast of Damascus.

Last year, the same mission discovered the bones of a giant camel in Syria dating back 100,000 years.

The researchers said the new find, along with the remains of the giant camel, could offer important clues about the animal's evolution.